Toy including plural packages with imprinted patterns aiding construction

ABSTRACT

A BUILDING CONSTRUCTION TOY INCLUDES SEVERAL PACKAGES OF CUT-TO-SIZE SIMULATED LOGS. THE LOGS ARE ARRANGED LOOSELY IN THE PACKAGES. THE BOTTOM OF EACH PACKAGE IS DEFINED BY A CARDBOARD SHEET UPON WHICH IS IMPRINTED A PATTERN WHICH THE LOGS IN THE PACKAGE SHOULD COLLECTIVELY ASSUME TO DEFINE A WALL OF ROOF PORTION OF A COMPLETED MINIATURE BUILDING, WHEN THE PACKAGE IS OPENED THE LOGS ARE GLUED TOGETHER OVER THE PATTERN IN THE PROPER CONFIGURATION. THE WALLS AND ROOF MEMBERS ARE THEN INTERCONNECTED SO AS TO CONSTRUCT A COMPLETED BUILDING. THE BUILDING MAY BE KNOCKED-DOWN AFTER CONSTRUCTION FOR SUBSEQUENT REASSEMBLY.

Oct. 12, 1971 w, TESTA 3,611,619

TOY INCLUDING PLURAL PACKAGES WITH IMPRINTED PATTERNS AIDINGCONSTRUCTION Filed July 6, 1970 INVENTOR. MLUAM E. 731374 Amen/5m UnitedStates Patent fie 3,611,619 Patented Oct. 12, 1971 ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A building construction toy includes several packages ofcut-to-size simulated logs. The logs are arranged loosely in thepackages. The bottom of each package is defined by a cardboard sheetupon which is imprinted a pattern which the logs in the package shouldcollectively assume to define a wall or roof portion of a completedminiature building. When the package is opened the logs are "gluedtogether over the pattern in the proper configuration. The walls androof members are then interconnected so as to construct a completedbuilding. The building may be knocked-down after construction forsubsequent reassembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present inventionrelates generally to toys and more particularly to a knock-downminiature building construction.

Description of the prior art Various knock-down building constructiontoy kits have been previously proposed. Applicant is aware of US. Pat.Nos. 1,287,771; 2,600,900; 2,931,130; 2,077,065; and 3,137,967.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a major object of the present inventionto provide a knock-down building construction toy which will provideboth education and entertainment for children.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a knock-downbuilding construction toy incorporating aplurality of packages ofcut-to-size construction elements that collectively define the externalsurface members of a miniature building. These packages also include atransparent covering that encloses the construction elements. The baseof each package is imprinted with the pattern which the elements shouldassume to define an external surface member of the building. When thepackages are opened a child may glue the elements together in the properconfiguration of the external surface members, and then interconnectsuch members to thereby construct a miniature building.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a knock-downbuilding construction toy which may be disassembled for compact storage.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a knock-downbuilding construction toy which is economical of construction andcapable of providing a long and useful service life.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from a consideration of the following description, when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front perspective view ofa miniature building constructed from a kit embodying the presentinvention, the roof of such building being broken away in the interestof clarity;

FIGS. 2 through 7 are reduced top views of packages forming a part ofthe kit of the present invention;

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are top plan views showing steps in the constructionof the building shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken in enlarged scale along line11-11 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, thereis shown in FIG. 1 a typical miniature building construction of the typewhich may be constructed from a kit embodying the present invention. Thebuilding is defined by a plurality of external surface members,including lower walls 10 and 12, upper walls 14 and 16 and roof sides 18and 20. It will be understood that the side of the building oppositethat shown in FIG. 1 utilizes lower and upper walls similar to thosevisible in this figure.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 6, a kit comprising a preferred form ofknock-down building construction toy embodying the present inventionincludes a plurality of individual packages P1 through P-S, Each packagecontains cut-to-size simulated logs 22 from which one of the externalsurface members is formed. Thus, the package P1 of FIG. 2 containscut-to-size simulated logs 22 for fabricating upper wall 16. A likepackage (not shown) is provided for the other upper wall. The packageP-2 of FIG. 3 contains logs for fabricating one of the roof halves 18. Alike package (not shown) is provided for the other roof half 20. Notethat tthree anchoring sticks 23 are contained in the package of FIG. 3for a purpose to be set forth hereinafter. Two packages P3 as shown inFIG. 4 contain logs for fabricating the two lower walls 12. Two packagesP-4 as shown in FIG. 5 contain logs for fabricating the two lower walls10. Two packages P-5 as shown in FIG. 6 contain logs for fabricating thetwo upper walls 14.

As indicated in FIG. 11, each package utilizes a cardboard base 24. Theupper surface of each base 24 is imprinted with a pattern 25 (FIGS. 9and 10) showing the configuration of the external surface member to beformed from such package. With further reference to FIG. 11, thecut-to-size simulated logs 22 are retained upon the upper surface of thecardboard base 24 by means of a transparent covering 28. Suchtransparent covering is formed of a suitable synthetic plastic and mayhave its sides secured to the underside of the peripheral edges of thecardboard 24 by a suitable adhesive. Preferably, the upper surface ofeach cardboard base 24 will be imprinted with a separate numeral (suchas indicated at 30 in FIGS. 2-7) which is keyed to a master plan ordrawing (not shown) so as to instruct the builder as to the respectiveposition of each of the external surface members in the completedminiature building.

Referring particularly to FIG. 7, one of the packages will encloseelements such as the doors and shutters to be employed with theminiature building. A separate chimney 27 may also be provided.

In constructing one of the external surface members the transparentcovering 28 is first removed from its cardboard base and the cut-to-sizesimulated logs placed to one side. As shown in FIG. 8, removing suchlogs from the cardboard base will reveal the pattern 25 of the externalsurface member to be constructed utilizing the contents of such package.Thereafter, as indicated in FIG. 9, the logs 22 will be positioned uponthe pattern 25 and their proximate edges glued together. After the gluehas dried, the now joined-together logs may be lifted from the pattern Pwhereupon they will have the appearance shown in FIG. 10.

After all of the external surface members have been assembled, theiredges will be interconnected so as to define the completed miniaturebuilding. It should be particularly noted that with respect to the wallmembers 10 and 12 and 14 and 16 the adjoining logs 22 are of unevenlength so that the ends thereof define notches 32. The notches 32 of onewall will releasably interlock with the corresponding notches of theadjoining wall so that the various wall members may be frictionallyretained together as an integral unit. As shown in FIG. 1, the roofmembers 18 and 20 are retained upon the upper edges of these interlockedwalls by means of the restraining sticks 23 which are previously gluedto the underside of each roof half. When package P-6 shown in FIG. 7 isopened the doors 40 may be glued in the door openings 42 of the walls ineither an open or closed position. Similarly, the shutters 44 may beglued to opposite sides of each window opening 46. The chimney 27 isglued upon one of the roof halves.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that a child willobtain great pleasure from assembling the miniature building.Additionally, the construction by the child of such building affordsentertainment while enhancing his manual dexterity. The external surfacemembers may be easily disassembled and stored in a convenientreceptacle, such as the box (not shown) originally housing the variouspackages P. Alternatively, the external surface members may be gluedtogether and the building will remain in its assembled condition. Itwill be apparent that other types of buildings than that shown in thedraw ings may be utilized.

Various other modifications may be made with respect to the foregoingdetailed description without departing from the spirit of the presentinvention.

1 claim:

1. A knock-down building construction toy, comprising:

a plurality of packages, each including a base upon which is imprintedthe pattern of an external surface member of a miniature building and atransparent covering for said base;

pluralities of individual construction elements, each said pluralitydisposed upon one of said patterns and precut to the configuration ofthe external surface member defined by the associated pattern, with saidtransparent coverings retaining said construction elements against saidbases; and

means for joining said individual construction elements as the latterrest upon said pattern in the configuration of the respective externalsurface members, said configurations including means adapting thesurface members, when completed, for joining to one another.

2. A knock-down building construction toy as set forth in claim 1wherein said individual construction elements are cut-to-size simulatedlogs.

3. A knock-down building construction toy as set forth in claim 1wherein said external surface members include walls and a roof portion.

4. A knock-down building construction toy as set forth in claim 2wherein said last recited means includes adjoining logs of uneven lengthto thereby define notches in some of said external surface members bywhich they may be releasably interlocked.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,845,258 2/1932 Forbes 46201,873,748 8/1932 Favreau 35-16 2,427,3 1 8 9/ 1947 Warren 206-46 AM2,871,619 2/1959 Walters 3516 X 3,171,540 3/1965 Douglas 20 6 47 F.BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

35-16; 4620; 20646 AM; 47 R

